1. Field of the Invention
This application relates to control and interaction with televisions and other media devices.
2. Description of Related Technology
Initially, televisions were controlled using predefined function buttons located on the television itself. Wireless remote controls were then developed to allow users to access functionality of the television without needing to be within physical reach of the television. However, as televisions have become more feature-rich, the number of buttons on remote controls has increased correspondingly. As a result, users have been required to remember, search, and use a large number of buttons in order to access the full functionality of the device. More recently, the use of hand gestures has been proposed to control virtual cursors and widgets in computer displays.
The demands of television viewers for an interactive viewing experience are on the rise. Television shows encourage viewer to call in (or text message) votes and/or rankings based on events that occur during television programs. Although there have been some attempts to allow users to vote interactively by inputting responses into the television using a remote control or some other type of input device, these and other interactive television control schemes have generally suffered from a lack of flexibility, configurability, and user-friendliness.